In rolling piston compressors, often, a guide vane, which is disposed within a vane recess formed in a cylindrical casing, is configured to limit passage of a working fluid between a high pressure port and a low pressure port. It may be advantageous in rolling piston designs to bias the rolling piston toward an inner circumferential periphery of the casing. As the rolling piston of these designs traverses these vane recesses, or other interruptions from a completely cylindrical internal surface formed in the casing, it frequently contacts the portion of the circumferential periphery which is disposed adjacent the vane recess, or a portion of the casing defining the vane recess.
The above described contact has a tendency to cause considerable noise, to reduce the efficiency of the rolling piston compressor operations due to the irregular path of the rolling piston with the casing as it makes this abutment, to generate excessive heat, and to cause vibration to (and fatigue of) the rolling piston compressor components.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present rolling piston designs Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.